Compression type hand tool



" Nov. 30, 1965 c, E. MILLER 3,220,241

COMPRESSION TYPE HAND TOOL Filed NOV. 15} 1961 IIIIA a INVEN TOR.

CARDELL E. MILLER ATTORN EYS United States Patent O 3,220,241COMPRESSION TYPE HAND TOOL Cardeil E. Miller, Hudson, Wis., assignor toMinnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, St. Paul, Minn, acorporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 15, 1961, Ser. No. 152,559 Claims.(Cl. 72-446) This invention relates to hand tools and more particularlyto crimping tools designed for use with electrical connectors requiringconsiderable pressure on opposite surfaces thereof to properly join aplurality of wires therein.

One connector of the aforementioned type comprises a base portion and .atelescoping cover portion movable toward each other. In order to insurea positive permanent connection between wires inserted into the baseportion the cover portion must be forced into the base by theapplication of force in a manner to prevent tilting or cocking of thecover portion in the base. This is of particular importance when wiresof different sizes are being connected.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved hand toolof the pliers type having working surfaces which are substantiallyparallel at all times, particularly in their most advanced position. Theimproved tool is thus particularly well adapted for use in crimping ofconnectors of the type referred to hereinbefore in which cocking is aproblem. This feature of the improved tool has the further advantagethat it permits application of a maximum force without danger of thework escaping from the working surfaces during application of pressurethereto.

The aforementioned object is accomplished broadly by the use in theimproved tool of two substantially parallel elongated levers having jawportions at one end and a pivotal connection at the other ends, therebeing means including a third lever and a toggle linkage connected tosaid levers intermediate their ends to provide an actuating means forforcibly advancing the jaws toward one another.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved hand toolin which are embodied the desirable features of high mechanicaladvantage, compactness and lightness of weight making said tool readilymanipulatable and convenient to carry.

An additional object is to provide a crimping tool of the aforementionedcharacter in which a plurality of adjustments can be made in the closedposition of the working surfaces of the jaws, readily adapting its usewith electrical connectors of various sizes.

The foregoing as well as other objects will become apparent as thisdescription proceeds, especially when considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings illustrating the invention, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of the improved tool, partly in verticalsection, showing the parts thereof in closed or crimped position, thealternative closed position of the idler lever and its jaw being shownin dot and dash lines;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the improved tool with the partsin open position, parts being broken away, the alternative open positionof the idler lever and its jaw being shown in dot and dash lines;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 3--3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary front perspective view of the body member ofthe improved tool;

FIGURE 5 is a front perspective view of a facing member of the improvedtool; and

FIGURE 6 is a rear perspective view of the facing member shown in FIGURE5.

The form of the improved crimping tool selected for illustration in thedrawing consists of an elongated frame or body member 10, 'an elongatedidler lever member 11 and an elongated trigger or third lever member 12.The idler lever 11 is pivotally connected at its rear end, i.e., theright hand end as viewed in the drawing, to the rear end of the bodymember 10. The trigger 12, in turn, is pivotally connected to the bodymember 10 intermediate the ends of the latter and is pivotally connectedto the idler lever 11 by a force transmitting toggle linkage which willbe described in detail later.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, especially FIGURE 1, thebody member 10 is channel shaped, providing a pair of spaced apartparallel plate portions or side plates 13 and 14 and an interconnectingweb 15. At the rear of the body member 10 alined dumbbell shapedapertures 16, 16a are formed in the side plates 13 and 14, respectively,said openings each comprising two identical circular openings joined bya connecting slot having a width less than the diameter of said circularopenings. One of said openings is offset vertically, as viewed in thedrawing, and longitudinally from the other, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2,to afford alternate adjusted positions for a pivot pin 24 which will bedescribed later.

The forward end of the body member 10 has a portion of the web '15 andof plates 13 and 14 cut away to define a pair of laterally alined spacedjaw members 17 and 18 shown most clearly in FIGURE 4. Intermediate theends of the body member 10 upper edge portions 13a and 14a of the sideplates 13 and 14 respectively are oifset inwardly toward each other inspaced parallel relation. The plate portions 13a and 14a are providedwith openings 19 and 19a for receiving a pivot pin or rivet 33. Theouter surface 15a of the web 15 is rounded and otherwise contoured sothat the rear end of the body member 10 forms a handle.

The idler lever 11 is channel shaped and is disposed between the sideplates 13 and 14, having side walls 20 and 21 and an interconnecting web22. At the rear end of the lever 11 alined openings 23 and 23a areprovided in the side walls '20 and 21 to also receive the pivot pin 24which pivotally connects the lever 11 to the body member 10. At theforward end of the lever 11 extensions are formed on each side wall 20and 21, ofi'set outwardly from the plane of said side walls providinglaterally alined jaw members 25 and 26 which are vertically alined with,i.e., are generally coplanar with, the jaw members 17 and 18,respectively, of the body member 10. An opening 27 is located in the web22 of the lever 11 to receive one end of a leaf spring 28, the other endof which rests against the web 15. The leaf spring is positioned betweenthe web 22 and the web 15 to bias the lever 11 and its jaw memberstoward open position with respect to the jaw members of the body member10. Other forms of biasing means may of course be used without departingfrom the spirit of the present invention.

The trigger 12 is also channel shaped, being formed with side plates 31ad 32, and is inverted with respect to the channels of the body member10 and idler lever 11. The rear end of the trigger is contoured todefine a handle or gripping portion 29, and the forward end of thetrigger is disposed between the offset side plate portions 13a and 14aof the body member 10. The side plate portions 31 and 32 of the triggerare formed with alined openings 30 and 30a respectively to receive thepivot pin or rivet 33. The side plates 31 and 32 of the trigger havesubstantially greater depth adjacent the openings 30 and 30a than theyhave adjacent the handle portion 29 and adjacent the openings 30 and30a, said side plates are formed with alined openings 50 and 50arespectively to receive a pivot pin 35. A link 34 has one end disposedbetween the plates 31 and 32 of the trigger and apertured, as at 51, toreceive the pin 35. The openings 50 and 50a, being spaced from theopenings 30 and 30a form a bell-crank of the trigger 12.

The other end of the link 34 is apertured as at 53 to receive a pivotpin 36 whose ends are received in alined openings 52 and 52a formed inthe side walls 20 and 21 of the idler lever 11. The end of the link 34connected to the idler lever 11 is bifurcated from the aperture 53 tothe adjacent end of said link. The extreme end portions of thebifurcations are reversely bent outwardly from the plane of the linkproviding abutments 37 and 38 which engage the side walls 20 and 21 ofthe lever 11 and prevent sidewise displacement of the link.

The portion of the trigger 12 between the pivot pins 33 and 35 forms oneleg, and the link 34 forms another leg of force transmitting means inthe form of a toggle linkage connecting the body member and idler lever11. The several pivots are so located and the several levers sodimensioned and organized that swinging movement of the trigger 12 aboutthe pivot pin 33 toward body member 10 similarly swings the knee of thetoggle joint, i.e. pin 35, and, through link 34, forces the idler lever11, toward the web of the body member 10 against the force of the spring28.

The trigger is provided with a stop means in the form of a pin 39extending through the side plates 31 and 32 and engageable with theplate portions 13a and 14a of body member 10 to limit the pivotalmovement of the trigger 12 toward the body member 10. At the forward endof the trigger 12 the side plate 32 is provided with a projectingportion 40 having a beveled shearing edge portion 42. A projection 41 isformed on the offset side wall portion 14a of the body member 10, saidprojection being formed with a beveled shearing edge portion 43cooperable with the edge portion 42. It will be observed that theprojections 40 and 41 afford the tool means for cutting wire in desiredlengths.

The jaw members 17 and 18 of the body member 10 and the jaw members 25and 26 of the idler lever 11 are adapted to receive and supportremovable facing members or inserts generally designated 44 and 44b. Theinserts are preferably exactly alike within the limits of manufacturingtolerances and therefore only the insert 44 will be described in detail,like parts of the insert 44b bearing the same reference characters withthe subscript b. Insert 44, as shown clearly in FIGURES 5 and 6, isgenerally wedge shaped and formed of angularly related plate-likemembers 54 and 55 presenting oppositely facing work engaging surfaces 45and 46 respectively, and separated by a wedge shaped portion 47 oflesser width substantially equal to the spacing between the jaw members17 and 18 and 25 and 26. The portion 47 is formed with a transverseopening 48 therethrough. The plate-like members 54 and 55 are ofdifferent thicknesses and widths as shown in FIGURES 5 and 6. The plates54 are both thinner and wider than the plates 55. In operative position,the wedge shaped portions 47 and 47b of the inserts 44 and 44b arefitted between the alined jaw members 17 and 18 of the body member 10and 25 and 26 of the idler lever 11. The jaw members are distensible tosome degree and are formed with small rounded inwardly directed offsets,such as shown at 49 in FIGURES 2 and 4, which project into the openings48 and 48b when the inserts are in operative position. The resilience ofthe jaws holding the offsets 49 in the associated openings 48 and 48bretains the inserts in operative position.

The inserts 44 and 4412 are capable of being inverted to place eitherwork engaging surface thereof in work engaging position. The differentthickness of plates 54 and 55 by simply inverting the inserts 44 and 44bprovides the improved tool With an adjustment of the spatialrelationship between the oposed work engaging surfaces when the tool isin closed position.

Referirng now to FIGURES l-3 the pivot pin 24 is shown pivotallyconnecting the rear end of idler lever 11 to the adjacent end of thebody member 10. As aforedescribed the openings 16 and 16a of side plates13 and 14 of the body member 10 are each formed by a pair of circularopenings joined by a connecting slot having a width less than thediameter of the openings. Movement of the pin from one end of theopenings 16 and 16a to the other causes a longitudinal and transversemovement of the adjacent end of the idler lever therewith. The pin 24 iscylindrical having a general diameter equal to the diameter of thecircular bores forming the openings 16 and 16a in the body member 10 andthe openings 23 and 23a in the idler lever 11. The pin 24 has twoportions 56 and 57 of reduced diameter spaced apart a distance equal tothe spacing between the side plates 13 and 14 of member 10. The reducedportions 56 and 57 have a diameter equal to or somewhat less than thewidth of the slotsbetween the circular openings making up the aperatures16 and 16a and have an axial length at least as great as the thicknessof the respective side plates 13 or 14 of the body member 10. Thereduced portions 56 and 57 allow movement of the pin 24 from oneposition to another in the apertures 16 and 16a when the pin ispositioned with the reduced portions 56 and 57 in registry with the sideplates 13 and 14. As shown in FIGURE 3 a coil spring 58 surrounds thepin 24 and has one end abutting the inner side of plate 21. The otherend of the spring 58 abuts a resilient snap ring 59 fitted into acooperating groove in the pin 24 and biases said pin axially toward theposition shown in FIGURE 3 wherein the areas 56 and 57 are offsetaxially from the side plates 13 and 14. Inward depression of the pin 24against the bias of the spring 58 brings the reduced diameter portions56 and 57 thereof into registry with the side paltes 13 and 14 to permitmovement of said pin laterally from one position to another within theopenings 16 and 16a.

In FIGURE 1 the jaw inserts or facing members 44 and 441) are in placeon the jaw members 17, 18 and 25, 26 such that the work engagingsurfaces 45 and 45b are in parallel opposing relation, and the tool isin a first closed postion with the stop means 39 engaging the offsetside plates 13a and 14a, and the opposing work surfaces 45 and 45bspaced a distance A from each other. A spacing A corresponds to thethickness to which the one type of electrical connector must be crimpedto render the same operative.

In order to increase the gap between the work engaging surfaces to thatcorresponding to the thickness to which a larger connector must becrimped to render the same operative, the pin 24 may be depressedaxially and shifted laterally from rear to the forward end of theopenings 16 and 16a to thereby shift the idler lever 11 to itslongitudinally adjusted position shown in broken lines. The workengaging surfaces of the jaws are then spaced a distance B in closedposition and retain their parallel relation. Movement of the idler lever11 repositions the pivot 36 to the broken line position shown in FIGURE1 and thus changes the angular relationship of the toggle linkage. Thespatial relationship of the work engaging surfaces in closed positionmay also be adjusted by inverting one or both of the jaw facing members44 and 44b to locate surfaces 46 and 46b in opposing relation or one ofthe surfaces 45 or 4512 in opposing relation with one of the surfaces 46or 46b to attain still different spacings as suitable or desired.

It will be observed in FIGURE 2 that the spatial relationship of thework engaging surfaces in the open position of the tool is also variedby movement of the pin 24 from one end of the openings 16 and 16a to theother. This adjustment is a concomitant of the aforenoted adjustment ofsaid spatial relationship of said surfaces when the jaws are in closedposition and the pin 24 is moved as described. Such adjustment when thejaws are open allows the acceptance between the jaw members 44 and 44bof connectors of different uncrimped thicknesses.

It will be observed that when the surfaces 46 and 46b are in opposingrelation the minimum gap in closed position can be achieved because ofthe greater thickness of the plates 55 and 5511 as compared with plates54 and 54b. The plates 54 and 54b, being narrower than plates 55 and 55bafford smaller work engaging surfaces which, together with the smallergap, adapt the tool to use with small size connectors. The plates 55 and55b in addition to the larger gap, afford wider work engaging sur facesadapting the tool to use with larger size connectors.

It will be observed in FIGURES 5 and 6 that the facing member or insert44 is formed at its forward end with a projecting portion 60 of reducedwidth. The portions 60 facilitate the crimping of small size connectorsand permits insertion of the tool into confined areas and at the sametime affords the operator a better view of the connector being crimped.

It is apparent from the above description that the improved tool isextremely versatile and affords a very high mechanical advantage in allpositions of adjustment. A further advantage of the present invention isthat the tool is so constructed that movement of the jaws from theiropen position to their closed position is such that the Work engagingsurfaces remain susbtantially parallel in all positions, due to thedistance between the pivot pin 24 and the work surfaces. The workreceives virtually no lateral or angular stress tending to cause cockingof the telescoping connector parts or escape of the work from theworking engaging surfaces when gripping force is applied to the tool.

The invention has been illustrated by reference to a specificembodiment, but there is no intent to limit the invention to the precisedetails so described except as required by the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

i 1. A compact unitary adjustable compression type crimping tool for usein manually forcing together into closed position the base and coverportions of any one of a plurality of differently dimensionedwire-connectors in making connection with wires of any of a variety ofsizes acceptable by said one of said wire-connectors and while avoidingtilting of said cover in said base, said tool being readily adjustableby simple hand manipulation to any of a plurality of configurationscorresponding to said plurality of differently dimensionedwire-connectors and in each of said configurations providing when inclosed position a pair of essentially parallel opposing jaw surfacesseparated a distance appropriate to a corresponding wire-connector whenclosed to form a Wire-connection; said tool being characterized ascomprising: a channelshaped elongate body, a channel-shaped elongatelever, and a channel-shaped elongate trigger;

said body having spaced side plates each perforated at the rearward endwith a dumbbell-shaped aperture aligned with the other and comprisingtwo vertically and longitudinally offset circular openings joined by aconnecting slot having a width less than the diameter of said circularopenings, the forward ends of said side plates being extended to form apair of aligned spaced resiliently distensible forwardly narrowing flatjaw members, each having an inwardly directed rounded offset alignedwith the other, the side plates being of extended width just rearwardlyof said jaw members and being oppositely perforated near the outer edge;

said lever having spaced side plates fitting between the side plates ofsaid body, the side plates of said lever being oppositely perforated atthe rearward end, extended at the forward end to form a pair of alignedspaced resiliently distensible forwardly narrowing flat jaw members eachhaving an inwardly directed rounded offset aligned with the other, andbeing oppositely perforated at the forward end just rearwardly of saidjaw members;

said trigger having spaced side plates and an interconnecting webcontoured rearwardly to define a hand grip portion and at the forwardend disposed between the side plates of said body, the side plates ofsaid trigger being doubly oppositely perforated in outermost andinnermost perforations near the forward end;

a pivot pin passing through the rearward perforations in the lever andone of the two opposed sets of rearward perforations in the body, andadjustable between said two sets, for adjustably pivotally connectingsaid body and lever;

a pivot pin passing through the perforations of the extended side wallsof the body and the outermost perforations of the side plates of thetrigger for pivotally connecting said body and trigger;

a first pin extending through the innermost perforations of the sideplates of the trigger, a second pin extending through the perforationsin the forward side walls of the lever, and a compression linkinterconnecting said first and second pins and completing aforce-transmitting toggle linkage between said body and said lever;

a first facing member for the jaw members of said body, and a secondfacing member for the jaw members of said lever;

each said facing member including a wedge-shaped inner portion havingparallel flat end surfaces recessed in alignment with the offsets of,and fitting and removably retained between, the corresponding jawmembers, and each said facing member further having first and secondangularly related flat platelike members supported on the angularlyrelated surfaces of, and extending beyond, said wedge-shaped innerportion, said first and second plate-like members being of differentthicknesses.

2. A compact unitary adjustable compression type crimping tool for usein manually forcing together into closed position the base and coverportions of any one of a plurality of differently dimensionedwire-connectors in making connection with wires of any of a variety ofsizes acceptable of said one of said wire-connectors and while avoidingtilting of said cover in said base, said tool being readily adjustableby simple hand manipulation to any of a plurality of configurationscorresponding to said plurality of differently dimensionedwire-connectors and in each of said configurations providing when inclosed position a pair of essentially parallel opposing jaw surfacesseparated a distance appropriate to a corresponding wire-connector whenclosed to form a wireconnection; said tool being characterized ascomprising: an elongate body and an elongate lever pivotally connectedat one end of each of them by means permitting adjustment of the pointof connection between a plu 1 body, said trigger being pivotable from afirst position to a second position whereby the toggle linkage is movedtoward alignment and the jaw portions moved to a closed position, thefiat opposed surface of at least one of said jaw portions being an outersurface of a generally wedge shaped facing member removably frictionallyretained on one of said body and lever, said facing member comprisingtwo angularly related plate-like segments of different thicknessconnected at their near ends, the segments having flat outer surfacesand having inner surfaces defining a recess by means of which the facingmember is removably frictionally retained on said one of said body andlever in either of two positions, each position presenting a differentone of the flat outer surfaces of the segments as the fiat surface ofthe jaw portion in opposed substantially parallel spaced relation to theflat surface of the other jaw portion, and different combinations of aposition of the facing member with a position of the point of connectionaffording different predetermined substantially parallel spatialrelationships between the opposed flat surfaces of said jaw portionswhen in the closed position.

3. A compact unitary adjustable compression type crimping tool for usein manually forcing together into closed position the base and coverportions of any one of a plurality of differently dimensionedwire-connectors in making connection with wires of any of a variety ofsizes acceptable by said one of said wire-connectors and while avoidingtilting of said cover in said base, said tool being readily adjustableby simple hand manipulation to any of a plurality of configurationscorresponding to said plurailty of differently dimensionedwire-connectors and in each of said configurations providing when inclosed position a pair of essentially parallel opposing jaw surfacesseparated a distance appropriate to a corresponding wire-connector whenclosed to form a wire-connection said tool being characterized ascomprising: an

elongate body and an elongate lever pivotally connected at one end ofeach of them by means permitting adjustment of the point of connectionbetween a plurality of positions, said body and lever each having a jawportion at their other end, said jaw portions each presenting a flatsurface opposed to the fiat surface of the other jaw portion, anelongate trigger pivotally connected at one of its ends to said bodyintermediate the ends of the latter, and having a force transmittingconnection to the lever adjacent the jaw portion thereof, said triggerbeing pivotable from a first position to a second position whereby thejaw portions are moved to a closed position, the fiat opposed surface ofat least one of said jaw portions being an outer surface of a generallywedge shaped facing member removably frictionally retained on one ofsaid body and lever, said facing member comprising two angularly relatedplate-like segments of different thickness connected at their near ends,the segments having flat outer surfaces and having inner surfacesdefining a recess by means of which the facing member is removablyfrictionally retained on said one of said body and lever in either oftwo positions, each position presenting a different one of the fiatouter surfaces of the segments as the fiat surface of the jaw portion inopposed substantially parallel spaced relation to the flat surface ofthe other jaw portion, and different combinations of a position of thefacing member with a position of the point of connection affordingdifferent predetermined substantially parallel spatial relationshipsbetween the opposed fiat surfaces of said jaw portions when in theclosed position.

4. A compact unitary adjustable compression type crimping tool for usein manually forcing together into closed position the base and coverportions of any one of a plurality of differently dimensionedwire-connectors in making connection with wires of any of a variety ofsizes acceptable by said one of said wire-connectors and while avoidingtilting of said cover in said base, said tool being readily adjustableby simple hand manipulation to any of a plurality of configurationscorresponding to said plurality of difierently dimensionedwire-connectors and in each of saidconfigurations providing when inclosed position a pair of essentially parallel opposing jaw surfacesseparated a distance appropriate to a corresponding wireconnector whenclosed to form a wire-connection; said tool being characterized ascomprising: an elongate body and an elongate lever pivotally connectedat one end of each of them by means permitting adjustment of the pointof connection between a plurality of positions said body and lever eachhaving a jaw portion at their other end, said jaw portions eachpresenting a fiat surface opposed to the fiat surface of the other jawportion, an elongate trigger pivotally connected at one of its ends tosaid body intermediate the ends of the latter, and having a forcetransmitting connection to the lever adjacent the jaw portion thereof,said trigger being pivotable from a firstrposition to a second positionwhereby the jaw portions are moved to a closed position, at least one ofsaid jaw portions being an outer surface of an adjustable facing memberremovably frictionally retainedon one of said body and lever, saidfacing member having a plurality of flat outer surfaces and having innersurfaces defining a recess by means of which the facing member isremovably frictionally. retained on said one of said body and lever in aplurality of positions, each position presentinga differ cut one of thefiat outer surfaces of the facing member as the fiat surface of the jawportionin opposed substantially parallel spaced relation to the fiatsurface of the other jaw portion, and different combinations of aposition of the facing member with a positionof the point of connectionaffording different predetermined substantially parallel spatialrelationships between the opposed flat surfaces of said jaw portionswhen in the closed position.

5. A compact unitary adjustable compression type crimping tool for useinmanually forcing together into closed position the base andcoverportions of any one of a plurality of differently dimensionedwire-connectors in making connection with Wires of any of a variety ofsizes acceptable by said one of said wire-connectors and while avoidingtilting of said cover in said base, said tool being readily adjustableby simple hand manipulation to any of a plurality of configurationscorresponding to said plurality of differently dimensionedwire-connectors and in each of said configurations providing when inclosed position a pair of essentially parallel opposing jaw surfacesseparated a distance appropriate to a corresponding wire-connector whenclosed to form a wire-connection; said tool being characterized ascomprising: an elongate body and an elongate lever pivotally connectedat one end of each of them by means permittingadjustment of the point ofconnection between a plurality of positions, said body and lever eachhaving a jaw portion at their other end, said jaw portions eachpresenting a fiat surface opposed to the flat surface, of the other jawportion, an elongate trigger pivotally connected at one of its ends tosaid body intermediate the ends of the latter, and having a forcetransmitting connection to the lever adjacent the jaw portion thereof,said trigger being pivotable from a, first position to a second positionwhereby the jaw portions are moved to a closed position, the opposedflat surface of at least one of said jaw portions being an outer surfaceof an adjustable facing member removably frictionally mounted on one ofsaid body and lever, said facing member having a plurality of flat outersurfaces, and being adjustably mounted to permit alternativelypresenting any selected one of said facing member surfaces as the flatsurface of the jaw portion in substantially parallel and opposingrelation to the flat surface of the other jaw portion, and differentcombinations of a position of a facing member with a position of thepoint of connection affording different predetermined substantiallyparallel spatial relationships between the opposed flat surfaces of saidjaw portions when in the closed position.

(References on following page) 9 10 References Cited by the Examiner2,716,364 8/1955 Cook et a1. 81372 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,822,7152/1953 Raimondi 81383.5 X 542 035 7/1895 Wiuever 2,941,431 6/1960Christensen et a1. $9 252 3333 s g 2 5 FOREIGN PATENTS too re 663,58112/1900 Rice s1 423 3/1950 Canada 691,079 1/1902 Schofield. L112 1912Bumm- 1,263,412 4/1918 Haynes 81-421 X 64,861 2/1913 Swltzerland- 25 2::10 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

2,696,747 12/ 1954 Bergan. WALTER A. SCHEEL, Examiner.

1. A COMPACT UNITARY ADJUSTABLE COMPRESSION TYPE CRIMPING TOOL FOR THEUSE IN MANUALLY FORCING TOGETHER INTO CLOSED POSITION THE BASE AND COVERPORTIONS OF ANY ONE OF A PLURALITY OF DIFFERENTLY DIMENSIONEDWIRE-CONNECTORS IN MAKING CONNECTION WITH WIRES OF ANY OF A VARIETY OFSIZES ACCEPTABLE BY SAID ONE OF SAID WIRE-CONNECTORS AND WHILE AVOIDINGTILTING OF SAID COVER IN SAID BASE, SAID TOOL BEING READILY ADJUSTABLEBY SIMPLE HAND MANIPULATION TO ANY OF A PLURALITY OF CONFIGURATIONSCORRESPONDING TO SAID PLURALITY OF DIFFERENTLY DIMENSIONEDWIRE-CONNECTORS AND IN EACH OF SAID CONFIGURATIONS PROVIDING WHEN INCLOSED POSITION A PAIR OF ESSENTIALLY PARALLEL OPPOSING JAW SURFACESSEPARATED A DISTANCE APPROPRIATE TO A CORRESPONDING WIRE-CONNECTOR WHENCLOSED TO FORM A WIRE-CONNECTION; SAID TOOL BEING CHARACTERIZED ASCOMPRISING: A CHANNELSHAPED ELONGATE BODY, A CHANNEL-SHAPED ELONGATELEVER, SAID A CHANNEL-SHAPED ELONGATE TRIGGER; SAID BODY HAVING SPACEDSIDE PLATES EACH PERFORATED AT ALLIGNED WITH THE OTHER AND COMPRISINGTWO VERTICALLY ALIGNED WITH THE OTHER AND COMPRISING TWO VERTICALLY ANDLONGITUDINALLY OFFSET CIRCULAR OPENINGS JOINED BY A CONNECTING SLOTHAVING A WIDTH LESS THAN THE DIAMETER OF SAID CIRCULAR OPENINGS, THEFORWARD ENDS OF SAID SIDE PLATES BEING EXTENDED TO FORM A PAIR OFALIGNED SPACED RESILIENTLY DISTENSIBLE FORWARDLY NARROWING FLAT JAWMEMBERS, EACH HAVING AN INWARDLY DIRECTED ROUNDED OFFSET ALIGNED WITHTHE OTHER, THE SIDE PLATES BEING OF EXTENDED WIDTH JUST REARWARDLY OFSAID JAW MEMBERS AND BEING OPPOSITELY PERFORATED NEAR THE OUTER EDGE;SAID LEVER HAVING SPACED SIDE PLATES FITTING BETWEEN THE SIDE PLATES OFSAID BODY, THE SIDE PLATES OF SAID LEVER BEING OPPOSITELY PERFORATED ATTHE REARWARD END, EXTENDED AT THE FORWARD END TO FORM A PAIR OF ALIGNEDSPACED RESILIENTLY DISTENSIBLE FORWARDLY NARROWING FLAT JAW MEMBERS EACHHAVING AN INWARDLY DIRECTED ROUNDED OFFSET ALIGNED WITH THE OTHER, ANDBEING OPPOSITELY PERFORATED AT THE FORWARD END JUST REARWARDLY OF SAIDJAW MEMBERS; SAID TRIGGER HAVING SPACED SIDE PLATES AND ANINTERCONNECTING WEB CONTOURED REARWARDLY TO DEFINE A HAND GRIP PORTIONAND AT THE FORWARD END DISPOSED BETWEEN THE SIDE PLATES OF SAID BODY,THE SIDE PLATES OF SAID TRIGGER BEING DOUBLY OPPOSITELY PERFORATED INOUTERMOST AND INNERMOST PERFORATION NEAR THE FORWARD END; A PIVOT PINPASSING THROUGH THE REARWARD PERFORATIONS IN THE LEVER AND ONE OF THETWO OPPOSED SETS OF REARWRD PERFORATION IN THE BODY, AND ADJUSTABLEBETWEEN SAID TWO SETS, FOR ADJUSTABLY PRIVOTALLY CONNECTING SAID BODYAND LEVER; A PIVOT PIN PASSING THROUGH THE PERFORATIONS OF THE EXTENDEDSIDE WALL OF THE BODY AND THE OUTERMOST PERFORATIONS OF SIDE PLATES OFTHE TRIGGER FOR PIVOTALLY CONNECTING SAID BODY AND TRIGGER; A FIRST PINEXTENDING THROUGH THE INNERMOST PERFORATIONS OF THE SIDE PLATES OF THETRIGGER, A SECOND PIN EXTENDING THROUGH THE PERFORATIONS IN THE FORWARDSIDE WALLS OF THE LEVER, AND A COMPRESSION LINK INTERCONNECTING SAIDFIRST AND SECOND PINS AND COMPLETING A FORCE-TRANSMITTING TOGGLE LINKAGEBETWEEN SAID BODY AND SAID LEVER; A FIRST FACING MEMBER FOR THE JAWMEMBERS OF SAID BODY, AND A SECONF FACING MEMBER FOR THE JAW MEMBERS OFSAID LEVER; EACH SAID FACING MEMBER INCLUDING A WEDGE-SHAPED INNERPORTION HAVING PARALLEL FLAT END SURFACES RECESSED IN ALIGNMENT WITH THEOFFSETS OF, SAID FITTING AND REMOVABLY RETAINED BETWEEN, THECORRESPONDING JAW MEMBERS, AND EACH SAID FACING MEMBER FURTHER HAVINGFIRST AND SECOND ANGULARLY RELATED FLAT PLATELIKE MEMBER SUPPORTED ONTHE ANGULARLY RELATED SURFACES OF, AND EXTENDING BEYOND, SAIDWEDGE-SHAPED INNER PORTION, SAID FIRST AND SECOND PLATE-LIKE MEMBERSBEING OF DIFFERENT THICKNESS.